Staring Down into the Abyss
by Kaiser Greedy
Summary: In which we are given a brief glimpse of the terror that Aerea Targaryen encountered in her unfortunate visit to the ruins of Valyria.


**A.N: An one-shot inspired by both the horrific end that "Aerea" Targaryen faced within GRRM's Fire & Blood and the works of H.P. Lovecraft. **

**For the sake of clarity and to avoid any confusion, in this fic, I shall be assuming that rumor that Rhaella and Aerea were switched at a certain point in lives was indeed true. Hence why I shall never refer to our protagonist as "Aerea" **

**Other then that, Please Enjoy.**

* * *

**_I mustn't look down. I mustn't look down. _**

**_If I look down, I'm lost_**

How often had she repeated that hollow useless thought? The first time, _the very first time, _it had been simply a source of comfort for the young princess as she soared into the blue sky upon the back of the Black Dread himself.

For a few wonderful moments as she flew higher and higher, a sense of utter joy and triumph overwhelm her mind as a burst of laugher escape from her lips. Oh, how she wanted to mock all of them at her sweet moment pf victory, all of her doubters;

At her uncle and aunt for thinking they could get rid of her that easily and take what was rightfully hers. Who could now dispute her claim as the rightful heir to the throne with the great Balerion by her side?

"_Certainly not that stupid little brat who can barely stand and walk on her own two feet." _

At Lady Elissa who left her to rot and die in that hole called Dragonstone while she went off to explore the countless wonders and mysteries that awaited those willing to sail deeper into Sunset Sea. All without her.

_It doesn't matter, it never mattered. Let that dirty thief do whatever she wants, I don't care. she can go ahead and drown herself to death for that stupid dream of hers. _

And of course, her mother, oh her mother… what more could be said for that foolish women, the worst of all them, that rob her of everything she loved?

_See mother, see? You really thought you could cage in a dragon? I'm afraid this is where we say goodbye._

Yes, this was supposed to be her grand moment of victory… But as the black dragon drafted farther and farther away from her family ancestral home, soon the princess's laugher began dying out as she quickly realised that she was no longer in control in determining their final destination.

_I mustn't look down. _

As the countless days went by and the land below them became nothing more then a boundless sea with no end in sight, those words became a source of small reassure that lucked in the back of her mind that everything was going to turn out alright.

There was no need panic. After all, despite his overwhelming presence and size, Balerion the Black Dread was a very old and heavy dragon. Thus, the princess franticly reasoned to herself, that he would soon tired of its' endless drafting and return back to its' lair to rest and enjoyed a hot meal provided by the island's dragon keepers.

Besides, even if that didn't happen then surely her mother, her aunt or even the king himself would show up riding with their own majestic dragons and convince the old black beast to halt its' needless journey and return back to the shores of Westeros. Oh sure, it would highly embarrassing to rescue in such a manner (and there was no doubt in the princess's mind the sort of punishment that she would receive for her little stunt), but she would rather risk an eternity dealing with her mother's gloominess on that barren island then spend another forsaken day clutching upon dragon's scales for dear life.

_My family will come to save me, I'm the rightful heir of course. They _**_need_**_me. Plus, Aerea would never forgive them if they were just to leave me to die like that. She would get the High Septon to curse them for all eternity. _

It was a comforting thought, one that offered the young princess a sense of hope in those desperate four days of flight, that was everything was going to turn out alright. It was also a foolish and useless thought that outright disappeared when Balerion finally reached his intended destination."

"_By the gods, that is- no, this is where Valyria stood." _

Even as a young child, she could remember the tales that spoke of the wonders and glory that resided within the greatest city to ever have existed. Even her cruel uncle Mageor, the former king that brought nothing but death and despair throughout his miserable short reign, would speak with utter awe and envy when describing the Valyrian Freehold, the empire that had crush their rivals with fire and blood and brought the entire continent of Essos under the dragon's firm control.

Then the Doom happened, and the city became nothing more then a graveyard of ashes, a forsake place cursed by the gods themselves.

_It's all gone now, isn't it? The city, the people, their magic and even the dragons. The Doom took them all away_._ It's just a pile of ashes and-_

_I must not _**_look _**_down. _

Dazed and frighten by this revelation, the princess could only clutch tighter onto the leather reins as the old dragon went deeper and deeper into old ruins, ignoring the fog entrapped them. She had noticed the red cloud as they flew over what she assume was the Smoking Sea, nearly gagging herself to death as she breathed in that foul air that tasted like salt and sulfur , causing a spell of dizziness to loom over her. Balerion on other hand, was seemly unfazed by the effects of the cloud, determine to reach whatever he was seeking within the long dead city.

_W-we need to go up_, the princess barely whispered to herself, her hands struggling to use the reins to guide Balerion higher upwards, far away from the toxic cloud, _If we can't get up, we shall be lost. _

For once since they had embarked upon this terrible journey, the dragon listened to his rider's desperate will and began soaring further upward into the sky. However, perhaps due to the effects of the cloud finally sinking in or plain old fatigue from traveling non-stop for four whole days, Balerion could not mutter up enough strength to use his wings to help them escape from the hellhole they had traversed into, his body sinking lower and lower to the ground that lay below them,

_No, no, no, I, I- it's going to be fine. Balerion just needs a little more time to get us out of here. Everything is going to be fine. _

_Everything is going to be fine_

_Everything is going to be fine _

Then, she heard a sound, no a familiar voice calling out to her.

"Rhae?"

Perhaps it was an act of sheer madness, desperation or maybe it was fate itself that complied her to do it, but Rhaella Targaryen chose at that exact moment to finally look down at was below her to see who had spoken her name. When she saw it, she knew that from that moment onwards, she was forever lost.

_Mother have mercy on us. mother have mercy on us. mother have mercy on us. mother have mercy on us. mother have mercy on us. mother have mercy on us. mother have mercy on us. mother have mercy on us. _

_Mother have mercy on us, please. I never- my god, they are looking at me, they are looking at me! Those eyes, _**_those eyes_**_! _


End file.
